Vacant
by Anonymous Pierrot
Summary: Ren feels frustrated over his situation involving Yoh, and Anna. Mild angst, romance, drama etc. (shounen-ai, starts Haoren but ends somehow Yohren...ish... Anna unfriendly) *completed*
1. Default Chapter

I hate him. 

Looking out from the corner of my eye, I can see him smiling loosely as always. Smiling as if there's not a worry in the god damned world. He laughs out loud along with football and Horohoro, at something I have no idea about. It's be a lie if I said I feel a bit left out, but I suppose it's my problem for not listening in the first place. 

I feel irritated. 

That girl goes up to him and I can see him tense up, and smiles weakly at her giving her some excuse for slacking off with us. 

"Yoh, I thought I told you to do 50 laps around the block."   
"Ahhh, I need some rest, na Anna? I'm only human…"   
"Make that 60."   
"Anna!" 

Everyday scene. I sigh. He has no strength to stand up to that abusive to be wife, and he dejectedly stands up to begin his training. As he walks by he gives me a smile, but I look away. I don't want half-hearted feelings. I know it's my fault for falling for him in the first place. He was taken. I knew it, but I had to fucking fall for some loose jerk who can't even say what he wants in life. I hate him for it. I hate him for not being able to reject his family, his fiancée, his binds. But then again I think I'm asking for too much. It's not like I don't know what it feels like to reject your background. 

But I hate myself the most for allowing this to happen. 

"Ren, where 're you going?" Horohoro asks me, as I stand up and walk out.   
"None of our business." I say, snorting. He looks a bit offended. Nothing new there. 

I walk down the street, away from all the people. Maybe it's an excuse to get as far away as possible from him and that girl. That girl. My luck turns from me, as the person in mind was right up ahead of me, with a stop watch, obviously timing her fiancée. I grimace, and try to seek an alternative route away from her, but realize it's a straight road with no where else to go. No choice, I try and walk by her, ignoring her. My bad luck seems to prevail as Yoh comes jogging up. 

"Ren!" he smiles, looking as though he was about to collapse into a pile of jelly. I sigh.   
"Yoh, keep going." A verbal whip from his fiancée prints a defeated smile on his face as he goes past me, and past that girl. 

He's disappeared from our view, and I was about to head off again. 

"Ren." 

The girl commands for me to stop. I stop. Gods know why I did, but everyone would agree with me that it is very hard to ignore Anna Kyouyama's commanding voice. I turn to face her. Her face was a vicious one. I'd never seen her like so until today. Never, would I have thought that she was capable of creating such a dark face. Was it hatred? I shuddered, uncontrollably. 

"Ren." 

She says again. I frown slightly. What does she want? Her mouth created the words, slowly. 

"Keep your paws off him." 

My mind blanks. 

"You make him lose concentration. You make him lose track. He's meant to become Shaman King, and that's that." She crosses her arms., and closes her eyes. "I don't need you misleading him."  
"Misleading!" I yell, a bit too loudly. "How the hell am I the one misleading him? What have I ever done…" 

"Don't think I haven't noticed the way you look at him." She coolly glares at me. Her eyes are cold. I shudder again. 

"You follow him everywhere he goes, with your eyes if not physically." 

"You're always next to him, when it should be me." 

"He confides in you, not me." 

"Just because I'm not around doesn't mean you can take him from me." 

"Stop dogging around him." 

I can't say anything. The words are stuck in my throat. I bite my lip, hard. I can taste blood. "… I never asked for his attention…" I begin weakly. Anna laughs.   
"You expect me to believe that? Why do you even dress the way you do? Showing a bit too much flesh, aren't we you little whore?" 

"That's enough!" I yell, and point my Houraiken at her. Out of blind rage. She doesn't flinch.  
"Threatening me, are we?" she says. Her face is still unchanging. I bite my lip again. More blood. Of course I can't kill her. I don't even want to. Just because what she says is true. Besides, if I killed her, I can never look at Yoh. I feel defeated. Why does he plague me, cause me so much trouble? I put my sword away, and turn away. Walking away. 

As I walk to the end of the block, I see Yoh turning the corner. He waves at me. I ignore him. Maybe I hurt him a bit. But then again, why would he be hurt? I know he loves that girl. And that's the way it should be. Guy loves girl, that's the natural way things should be. He shouldn't love me. In fact, I don't think he ever did. He loves everybody, not in that kind of way…but he cares so much for every single being on this earth. I'm just one in a million. I should get high hopes out of my mind. I walk out, not thinking where I was headed. I some how ended up on the outskirts of the Pachi Village. No people here. So I thought. 

"Now what do we have here?" 

Voice of a person I really didn't need to meet. I groan internally. I turn around sluggishly to see the face identical to Yoh's. Identical, perhaps. But Yoh would never smile like that. As if hiding something. 

"What are you doing here? You usually don't stray from the rest of your pack?"  
"None of your business Hao." I say, heavily. I try to stay indifferent, try to hide my emotions. But I don't think it's working.   
"Oh but it is my business if it has anything to do with Yoh and yourself." His smile widens, as his eyes narrow. I don't like the way he looks at me. 

"Yoh has nothing to do with this." I say, at try to get away from him. But I can't. My feet are rooted into the ground. Fear?   
"I'm sure it does." He says, chuckling. Maybe that's not the right way to describe it: sniggering. "If not you wouldn't look so defeated and confused."   
"I'm not defeated…" I start again, weakly. I look down. Why is it that today I can't be confident? Anna's words come to mind. _"I don't need you misleading him."_ Fuck, if anything it's him that's misleading me, confusing me, losing me.

"You don't sound very convincing." Hao says, right next to me. I gasp and look up to find his faces inches away from mine. I didn't realize he got so close so quickly. I feel threatened. I jump back, away from him and take a defensive pose. He laughs. "No need to be so edgy. I wouldn't kill you." I think internally that I wouldn't trust anything he says. I still stand there, heart beating like a machine out of control. 

"It was that little bitch, wasn't it?" Hao says dangerously. I flinch. He smirks. "You're a bit obvious when you do that Ren. What did she say to you? Something along the lines of "Keep your paws off him"?" Something along the lines of! I wonder if he was secretly observing the incident that took place between us. 

"Ren, there's a solution to all of this…" he starts. 

"You can join me."

He approaches me. 

"My answer stays the same as last time." I say, gritting my teeth. Even if Yoh won't choose me, I would never betray him. I would have inched back, but again, I was rooted to the ground. This time, it was defiantly fear. There was something maniacal in his eyes. 

"Ren, Ren, Ren… it's nothing that bad… besides, I'll appreciate you much more that Yoh ever will…" Next thing I know something slammed into me and I hit a tree. Me and my fucking luck will have it that I should smash into a tree. I hate this. All of it. I wince and open my eyes sluggishly, only to find Hao right in front of me. Again. Face inches away from mine.

"…Very nice…" he murmurs and grasps my face. My eyes widen. "From the first time I saw you I thought there was something about the eyes…" he lowers his lips towards mine. I panic, but can't do anything. Weakly grasping his arm I try to push him away, but he doesn't budge. His lips come in contact with mine. My mind flares, finally kicking in. Who the fuck does he think he is… 

I feel Hao tense, and he slowly draws away from me. His lip is bleeding. I can taste the foul red liquid on my tongue and teeth. He narrows his eyes. I think that he's going to kill me. What a way to die: Tao Ren falls to the other world by biting Hao the all mighty. There's something wrong with that statement. But Hao grins slyly, obviously oblivious to my internal thoughts. He licks his lips, tasting his own blood. "I like those with a bit of spark in them…" he roughly pushes me up against the tree, and kisses me violently. I have no time to retaliate. His tongue forces its way into my mouth, and I feel as though I'm to vomit. I choke as he slides his tongue underneath mine, as I dig my nails into Hao's upper arm, oxygen deprived. My knees get weak, as I slide down the tree trunk, now sitting on the ground. Hao draws back from me, as air blesses my lungs. I realize my breath is rising slightly. Hao smirks.   
"Any second thoughts?"   
"Fuck off." I bite back.  
"Don't be so scary." He laughs, and pulls me sideward slightly so that I have nothing to lean on. I fall backwards to the ground, my hands pinned to either side of my head. Hao looks down on me, smiling cruelly. Panic strikes me again. 

"Ren, there's another way to make things easier for you…" he whispers into my ear.

"…I'll let you forget all of this…" 

"…all about the others…" 

"…all about Yoh…" 

"…then the pain will be gone…"

"No!" I yell. I try to struggle, but all to no avail. He has me firmly pinned down.

"If you forget, there's no guilt, no nothing, no strings attached…" Hao smiles serenely now, and covers my face with one hand. I feel an immense pain crack across my forehead. A white, glaring pain strikes my mind, piercing images swallowed up by this one point. Backbeforethecafeannaabusesmeandyohrunspastsmilingand eatinginatthecafereachiingthepachivillagehaoandifi rstmetheaskedmetojoinhimisaidhellnoyohandtheotherscarefo rmeicantleavethemtheysav edmeinchinathetimeyohsaidhelikesmeiwasnts ureifhemeantinthatwaybutheseemedsosincereandbeforehwefou ghtintheshamanfightforthesecondtimebeforethatilostandthatwasthefirsttimeifeltsome thngofhimwhenceihadthoughthewasasulessfeelingmoronwhowasasoftielikeeveryonee lsehateredru ledthe worldandthatwasthewaythingsweretobehatefamilyhateredruledki llingkillingyoh… 

And then I blank. 

------------------------------------------

Chapter 1 for this series...I guess this is like a continuation of Raw Expression (funny how all my fics seem to be centred around that one fic...). I'm so sorry for making Anna sound like such a bitch, but really, I can love her! Like when she bitchslaps Hao...bahahahaha. 

Yes, so this should be interesting where it heads. I'll lead it to places depending on what people seem to want...try something new for a change.


	2. His mind is Blank

Ren's gone missing. 

I don't know where he went, or why he went, but he's been missing for a couple of days. We wouldn't usually worry, because, hell, we're talking about Ren here. His team mates Horohoro and Chocolove seem to think along the same lines as I do, so we hadn't done anything. But now, we're beginning to worry. It had been just pure luck that we hadn't any matches called by the Great Spirits. Because had their team been called for a match… forfeit? God I hope not… 

Last time I saw Ren was exactly a week ago. I waved at him when I was doing my daily hell training, but he ignored me. He'd been acting a little strangely come to think of it. Last time we went to see their match against another team…hm, can't remember who the opposition was, but anyway we went to give them the support that they deserve, even then Ren was a bit edgy. Of course they thrashed the opposition, and when we went to congratulate them, well, Horohoro an Chocolove were ecstatic and didn't hide their triumph, but… Ren was different. He seemed preoccupied by something. I asked him what it was, but he just said "None of your business, I'm fine." Like he always does. I don't know who I was kidding, but I let it slide. I didn't make much of it at the time. I usually wouldn't, but because of Ren's disappearance I'm forced to recall and think about everything he said and did in those last few hours I saw him. Something's not right.

"Where the hell is he!?" I hear Horohoro yelling, breaking the uneasy silence. We had just had lunch and were sitting in some random café in the Pachi Village. No one's talked about it yet, but inside, we're all worried about Ren's disappearance. There's something really wrong about all of this. Finally Horohoro snapped. I think we're all pretty close to snapping as well.  
  
"Calm down Horohoro-kun…" Manta tries to sooth Ren's teammate.   
"Calm down in a situation like this? How can we! He's been gone for a whole bloody week without telling us anything! As much as I hate to say this, but something must have happened to him!"   
"Yo Horohoro, we're talking about Renny boy here." Ryu interjects while biting into an impossibly large burger. " We all know he's more than capable of looking after himself. Not many people, even in the third round of the Shaman Fight, could whoop that little brat."   
"Yeah, but then what else could have happened?" Horohoro snaps.   
"Ah right then, who else could possibly shut that little brat…" Ryu began to retort, but then his jaw snapped shut. I think my heart skipped a beat. 

There was complete silence in the café again. We all knew with Ryu's words then, as much as we didn't want to, that there was one being that could make any human disappear off the face of the planet in less than seconds. My heart beats faster. Cliché as it sounds, I think if it beat any louder, everyone in the Pachi Village could hear me.

"…Hao." 

I murmur the name of the most hated Shaman in the course of human history. 

My nemesis. 

"Yoh?" 

I stand up suddenly and head out of the café. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Anna says in that cool voice of hers. It's not that she doesn't care about Ren, because it takes a hell of a lot to unnerve Anna. Besides, she doesn't get edgy over hypothetical situations. She doesn't panic until she sees the actual situation, and even then you can't call her version of panic, panic really. The question Anna throws at me would usually scare me enough to stop and want to cry, but this time I only pause slightly before answering. 

"…I just remembered something." I could hear all of them internally snorting "bullshit". But I couldn't give a damn right at this moment. 

I head out of the café, and away from the crowded built up areas of the Pachi Village. Another short sequence lightens up my memory. About ten days ago, we went to see one of Hao's matches. It was natural for me to go and see what my supposed twin brother could do. Family expects me, hell, the world expects me to be able to beat him. Hao. I think of my self as an optimist, but that one match cast a slight shadow over my usually sunny outlook. He was a monster. I didn't think it was possible for any single shaman to be so powerful. The match was over before it started. The opposition was burnt until there was nothing left, save their shadows imprinted on the ground. I couldn't understand, how he could be so powerful. And heartless. 

He had smiled over his victory.  
And then he'd looked at me, and gave me one of those cruel smiles.

And then…he had looked at Ren… 

"What are you doing all the way out here little brother?" That voice. I stop still, but don't look up. I know without looking he's sitting in a tree a few meters to the left of me. I can feel his aura, oppressive and heavy surrounding the area. For the first time I notice that I've strayed from the main area of the Pachi village. Far, far away. Maybe too far. 

"You don't happen to be looking for anything, are you?" I can hear the smile in his voice.   
I shrug. "Well, actually I was looking for…"  
"Ren?" The smile in his voice prods me. My brain shuts down for a couple of seconds. I couldn't help but turn to Hao instinctively.   
"Don't look so stupid." Hao says in a disgusted voice. "You look so stupid it makes me sick. To think that my other can muster such a moronic face." I restrain a retort. Or is it that I can't think of anything to say back?   
"Can't think of anything to say back?" he sniggers at me. I wonder if I'm that obvious. 

"…Why do you know that I'm looking for Ren?" I manage to say. "Obviously." Hao smiles at me. That smile, that's so insincere. "One week since he's left you guys, surely you'd be worried by now." 

"Wait, what do you mean he left us…" I feel my mind tensing for the impact to come. As much as I didn't want to hear it, I knew what was to come. 

"He left you." Hao's smile, the coldest that I've ever seen. "He left you to come to me." 

I grit my teeth. "That's not true. Ren would never betray us." 

Hao throws his head back and laughs. Piercing and shrill, completely insane. My eardrums feel like they're about to burst. The trees also seem to shudder in the oppressed atmosphere, the wind wailing and moaning. Even nature seems to cower before him. 

"Betray you? You, Yoh. You are the most pathetic counter anybody could ever have…" Hao says between hysterics, his hand covering his face. Shoulders convulsing. "Yoh, you are so naïve. Ren was bloody right to want to leave you all…forget about you all." I feel my hands clench. "Of course he'd never want to betray you, but Yoh, YOU betrayed HIM. That's what drove him to me." 

A shudder struck down my spine.

"…How?" I whisper before I could stop myself.

Hao sits there looking smug. I feel sick looking at that face, a face I see only when I look in the mirror. But I'd never look at anyone like that. Ever. 

"By not choosing, that's what." 

With that, my nemesis disappeared, and I was left alone standing trying to comprehend the situation. 

---------------------------------------------------- 

Hm, is it just me but this Yoh is very depressing? Not cool. And is it just me but he's pondering a lot about Hao? Nooooo… this shall all change, very soon. *tries to nod affirmatively* 

Thanks to everyone who's commented…again, I wasn't expecting such a response. Great to know that people are enjoying it. :D

I wish more people screwed around with Hao x Ren (literally XD). Nah nah, let's see where all this shall head… 

I just realised not much happened in this chapter... kind of like Yoh's POV. ...Things will actually happen in the next chapter, I promise. *smiles widely*


	3. Lost His Mind

"Where have you been?" he asks me in a disgruntled voice. I return to the small room that the Pachi have provided to all contestants of the Shaman Fight. Sure, I know I'm better than all those other's who dream on about becoming Shaman King, but at this stage I'm just one other contestant in a million. Actually, there's probably only a couple of hundred left. Not that I care.

"For a walk." I smile at the boy sitting on the small couch.   
"Sure." He doesn't believe me. He goes back to reading a book, and tries to ignore me. 

"…Ren." I say, and approach him. 

He doesn't look up. 

I raise an eyebrow. 

"Ren, I really don't like being ignored." Further silence. Maybe slightly childish, but I grab the book out of his hands, and throw it away. "What the - hey!" He looks up at me. I grab is face under the chin to make sure he stays looking at me. The golden eyes that captivated me from the first time I saw him, narrows and glares at me. 

"Much better." I smile.   
"You are such a narcissist." He grumbles.   
"You're fault for ignoring me." I laugh, and let go of his face. Ren mumbles something, which may or may not have been something akin to "look who's making me want to ignore you you cow on a stick".

"So where were you?" He asks, sinking into the couch. I sit opposite him on a small foot stool, cross legged. He sits there, looking a bit small swallowed up in the couch. Nonetheless he composes himself like some emperor, demanding an answer. I still think it's highly cute of him to do so. 

God I sound like a sap. 

"I was out wandering, and came across some one I know… he didn't seem very happy to see me though." I laugh.   
"Tell me that anyone's happy seeing you." He retorts.   
"You're so mean."   
"Hm." 

Idle chit chat. As strange as it sounds, these are the moments I like best. It lets me forget for a second. Just a split second. That I am the most feared and hated shaman in the whole universe. That my ultimate goal is to create a world without those grotty humans. That I have no real place in this world. But he gives me that place. Even only for a second. But it's better than nothing. 

"Why do you ask about where I was? Were you worried about me?"   
"Like you need to be worried over about your well being."   
"True." I smile and sit myself beside Ren instead of on the footstool. I quickly slide my arms around his waist and draw him in for a kiss. A bit roughly. Ren objects by lightly grunting, but I discard his complaint and concentrate on kissing him. After a while he calms down a bit and decides to enjoy me. He wraps his arms around my neck and pushes up against me. A small part in my mind pats my own back, commending myself on my success. Goes to show that had Yoh and Ren never met, Ren would have fallen for me right at the beginning. Clearing Ren's memory of Yoh and his so called friends is possibly one of the best things I've done in a long time. Best, and most satisfying. I feel like I've won something.

Call me dominating, but I've never been the kind to go with the flow. I push Ren down so that I'm on top of him, having total control. I love it. He's panting lightly, looking up at me with slightly damp eyes. I wonder for a split second whether Yoh's ever seen Ren like this. The thought tweaks me, so I try and discard the thought. But the more I thought about it, the more it annoyed me. I can't say that I know for certain that those two have been together, but it's more than likely that they have. My mind trails off that thought for a while were I think that that would make a situation where Yoh's cheating on Anna. Which is highly amusing. Serves that vain bitch right.

Coming back to my initial thought of Yoh and Ren ever being together… It makes me want to show him.Show him that Ren is with me, and would have been had he never met Yoh. My weakling counter part caught Ren's attention? Makes me want to vomit at the thought. I want to show Yoh, that Ren is no longer his, that he's mine, just as I had said. I'll make him mine. I always get what I want. 

"What are you thinking?" Ren asks. I realize I'd been still, thinking.   
"Just thinking." I say, and smile innocently.   
"Don't you mean plotting?" he rolls his eyes, with a faint smile playing on his lips. I just laugh, not affirming or denying.

"…Ren?"  
"Hm?"   
"…there's this little bitch…"   
"Sounds like you love her."   
"Funny Ren. There's this little bitch that really gets on my nerves…could you do me a favor and shut her up?"  
"Hao, she's not even here, I don't know who the hell you're talking about…"   
"You're so innocent. Should I corrupt you more?"   
"… get to the point."   
"What I'm saying is, kill her." 

"…" 

His eyes light up for a second. I wonder if deep down he still has that reserve, not wanting to kill people. I bite my lip. I put my hand to his forehead, and speak to him firmly. 

"Kill Anna Kyouyama. For me." 

Ren's eyes become unfocused, and his body becomes loose and limps. "Hao…" he murmurs. "For you…anything." I smile, content. "Anything?" I whisper into his ear. His body reacts, jumps slightly. "Anything…" he whispers back, arms around my neck, legs wrapping around my waist. I lick my lips. Very nice… 

Yoh. Ren, your favorite little one's going to kill your fiancée. How are you going to cope with that? Who are you going to choose? I think I know the answer. But you're never going to forgive yourself either way. 

------------------------------------------------- 

Muahahaha. Evil Hao-sama. I love it. XD My Hao-sama seems to be fairly touchy feely though… *shrugs*. Chapter 3 for Vacant…something actually happened in this chapter. ^______^ Thanks once again for all you Yohren people out there for your undying (??) support! Thanks to Geminisan and kanary in particular, who are the people who've seemed to have reviewed all my fics (^^; Eh, eh) first, if not second. Awww! *dies* 

Hao's happy, Yoh's not, Anna probably isn't and Ren's out of his mind (literally). God know what's about to happent… :D 


	4. And futher

"Yoh-kun, are you alright? You haven't been eating much recently, and you look really tired…" 

My wandering mind is brought back to reality as I see Manta being held by Faust, looking at me, concerned. Maybe Manta's getting used to the whole attachment thing Faust seems to have going for him, but he still looks a bit rigid. I shake my head and cast a grin. A weary one. 

"Well, it'd be a lie if I said that I aren't…" I mumble as I scratch the back of my head. When I told the others about Ren being with Hao, the reactions were varied. Chocolove thought it was a gag, Anna was emotionless, Manta started ranting, Ryu and Faust were both in a state of shock, and Horohoro yelled at me. Horo took it the worst I think. He grabbed the front of my shirt and called me a bloody liar. I wish I had said it as a gag or a lie, but it wasn't. I told them that I hadn't actually seen Ren with Hao, and that I'd just heard it from Hao so I can't be a hundred percent sure, but everyone seemed as dejected and defeated as I had first felt when I heard the news. But I think I took it the worst internally. I couldn't stop thinking what it was that I'd done, as Hao said… 

_"By not choosing, that's what." _

Choosing what? In what kind of situation was I ever put in, to have to decide something? When I'm faced with a decision to make though, I usually make one. I rarely put off decisions, especially if they're important ones. What could I have done to drive Ren into Hao's arms? Or what didn't I do? 

I start thinking about Ren again. I miss him. I don't think I'd feel like this had it been (no offence guys) Ryu or Faust. Maybe if it were Manta, but this was bad… I had it for Ren, bad. It felt like I hadn't seen him for so long… I miss his glares, his insults, the physical violence he throws on me whenever I show affection in public…gosh it sounds like he loves me…I miss the little hugs and kisses…I begin to wonder what it is that Hao wants from Ren. Ren has an amazing amount of Furyoku, huge potential and strength. Some of Hao's (so called) allies don't even measure up to Ren's power. Is that why? Ren's strength? A small voice prods me that Hao is my twin, and that I am (according to him) a part of him…maybe he looks at Ren the way I…I kill off the thought before it even develops. I doubt that Hao could ever be affectionate to anyone. 

But what I find the most unbelievable is that Ren went to Hao willingly. Ren would never betray me, us. But Hao had told me that it was I who betrayed him. And it all comes back to the point, what was it I did? 

"Yoh-kun?" 

Manta calls out to me again. We're all sitting around in a park, doing nothing in particular. It's actually a wonder that Anna's letting me sit around, because usually she'd tackle me with one of her killer training sessions. Maybe she's worried about Ren in her own way too. 

"Yoh-kun…maybe Ren isn't really with Hao. Besides, what would Hao want from Ren anyway?"  
"I was thinking that to myself just then." I honestly tell him. "And I have no friggin' clue."   
  
"Yoh, you're spending too much time worrying over him." Anna says in an irritated voice. I look over to her, sitting on a wall a few steps away from me. "If you have time to do that, train." "Anna-san, maybe just this once let Yoh-kun relax, ne? After all he's…"   
"What?" Anna throws Manta a death look. Manta shakes his head quickly and ends the conversation. I sigh and look up to the sky. Maybe Anna's right...maybe I shouldn't think too much about it… but I can't help it. If Ren left me willingly, then there's nothing I can do about it. But if he didn't…

The air sharpens.

Everybody in the area felt the change in atmosphere, and tense up. I stand up, preparing myself for whatever is to come.   
"What is this atmosphere…?" Ryu mumbles, looking slightly nervous. It feels familiar, but very dark. Manta shivers, as Faust puts him down. I look over to the streets. I doubt my eyes for a second. I see Ren standing there, eyes down cast, a shadow over his face. I can't see his face at all, which adds to the whole eeriness of the area. I hear someone take a sharp breath in.

"Ren…" I call out. 

But he doesn't seem to hear me. 

He looks up all of a sudden, and his eyes are set firm. But somehow unclear. I feel something wrong. Ren draws his sword, and in a flash heads towards someone. I realize suddenly that he drew to kill. There is something defiantly wrong. Takes me another half second to realize the person he's after. 

Anna.

She stands there wide eyed, taking in the situation. I run up to Anna and push her out of the way, and block Ren's oncoming attack. Just. Ren glares at me, and looks straight past me, at Anna. He's still set to kill her. 

"Ren!" I yell at him, as he jumps back away from me, and aims for Anna again. Before I can comprehend what's happening, Horohoro attacked Ren. Ren being Ren blocks him off easily, and Horo gets thrown away by the impact.

"What the fuck are you doing Ren!?" Horo yells, getting up quickly, poising.   
"Stop calling me so easily." Ren snarls, and looks right past Horo. I don't believe this is happening. 

"Ren… is it true that you're… allied with…Hao?" I manage to muster. He looks at me. His eyes narrow, observing me. 

"I've always been with Hao." He says without hesitation. 

I can almost hear eveybody's mind blanking. 

"What's happening here?" That voice calls again.   
"Hao…" Ren looks behind him to see the long haired one sitting on the bench I was sitting on just minutes before. "I'm sorry, I missed her…"   
"That's unlike you…" Hao stands up, completely ignoring the rest of us, all attention on Ren.  
"I'm sorry…"   
Hearing Ren apologize is one thing. But seeing him go up to Hao and wrap his arms around him is another.  
"It doesn't matter." Hao whispers kindly, and holds the back of Ren's head, drawing him closer. Now I really doubt my eyes. 

"…What the hell is happening here!?" Horohoro yells again, as I'm violently drawn back to reality from the small world of my vacant mind. Ren looks at all of us, with cold condescending eyes. So untrusting. His body faces us, with Hao standing behind him, one arm around his waist.   
"Can't you tell?" was the mocking reply Horohoro got from Hao. 

I see Hao's hands wandering over Ren's stomach, hands dangerously close to his waist band. He starts playing with the obi around the waist… I glare at him. Hao just smiles back, looking smug. He strokes Ren's stomach. Ren gasps and throws his head back, body pressing into Hao. Ren's sweet voice dripping sounds that mean nothing. I can't stand it.

"Hao, let him go!" I finally yell.   
"Jealous?" coolly Hao says, still holding Ren. Ren has his eye's half closed, looking blissful, completely oblivious to the incredulous looks he's receiving from those in the area. 

"What did you do to him?"   
"Nothing much. Just cleared his memory of you and all those other little scums." 

… 

"…you call that nothing much?"

I realize my voice has dropped. Peripheral vision, I think I see Manta look up at me, but I'm not too sure. I grip Harusame so tightly, my finders ache. My ears feel like they're blocked, the ground beneath me feels awfully weak. I can't believe how much I've lost my grip on myself. If Hao says anything more, I think I would try to kill him, regardless of the consequences, not thinking about what would happen next. Jealousy? Perhaps. 

"I cleared his memory of all that's happened between now and when he met you, Yoh." 

---------------------------------- 

This chapter seems longer than the others… hm. Yoh's POV again (is it just me but all mah fics are POVs? It's so much easier to write from a person's POV I find…) 

I really can't express the thanks in words at the number of positive reviews I've recieved from people... it's quite incredible (for me atleast). I jsut really want to finish _Vacant_ ASAP, because I've started writing up another one... but that's not going up till _Vacant_ is finished. ;D


	5. Realisation

Just by looking at him, you could see that he's distressed. Yoh Asakura, the usually unwavering soul, was distressed. Or shaking with rage. 

I look over to Hao and that Chinese boy. Cleared his memory? I laugh internally. I doubt it Hao. You didn't just clear his memory, you've somehow managed to control his mind. As much as I hate to lend a shoulder to that little slut, he's changed. Yoh's changed him so much. That murdering brat had disappeared. Sure, he's still a brat nonetheless, but he'd never kill anyone. Even me, whom he obviously hates. 

"… Why did you do it?" a very dangerous Yoh whispers. 

"Why? Are you that stupid you can't figure it out?" Hao smirks, and continues to feel around the brat. Had this been a normal person and in normal circumstances, I would have made them get a closet or something. But this is Hao, under no normal circumstance. As much as I hate to admit it, he's terrifying. Nobody in their right mind would ever try and do anything to him.

"I did it because I wanted him." 

Obviously. 

But that thought didn't seem obvious to anyone else, especially to Yoh. Of course, they're twins. And according to Hao (and his twisted sense of logic) they're the same person. Naturally their taste in people would be the same.

I sicken myself how indifferent I am at this stage. Maybe it is that I really couldn't give a damn what happened to that brat. Maybe it would be better if he left Yoh alone. He has no place near Yoh. It's already decided that Yoh and I will marry, and eventually have a family. There's no place for him here. 

I see the little slut dreamily leaning on Hao. Yes, no place. Maybe it is better if he goes with Hao. But Ren's power on Hao' side is a horrifying thought. I'm not even too sure what it is that I feel. 

"Besides, I can appreciate him much more than you ever can, Yoh." Hao seems to think along the same lines as I do. I steal a quick look at Yoh. His hair is obscuring his face, so I can't see the exact face he's wearing, but I can tell that he's trying to sort out matters in his mind. 

"Why did you make him try and kill Anna?" Yoh looks up and glares at Hao. With a face set and dark that rivals his twin. Oblivious, or he just doesn't care, Hao just lets it slide. 

"Oh come off it Yoh. I'm helping you as your older brother to figure out your relationship problems." 

For the first time everything seems clear to me. 

"Ren, kill her." 

Ren snaps out of his trance, and narrows his eyes down to me. Absolute hatred burning in his eyes. It does seem that he has returned to the little murdering kid he was before he met Yoh. Before he met Yoh. I call out Zenki and Kouki. Last time I was caught off surprise, but this time I'm ready for that brat. 

"Anna, no!" I hear Yoh shout. I glare at him. 

"So you're telling me to let him kill me." 

"No, Anna, calm down!" 

Dammit Yoh, stop giving a shit about that slut! Obviously he cares about you so much that he's able to forget about you. Even upon seeing you now, he doesn't seem to remember anything. He poises, and charges down at me. With Zenki and Kouki behind me, I prepare to bitchslap him to death. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Hao sitting there, face resting on his hand, observing the scene with amusement. 

But then out of the corner of my eye… 

I see Yoh… 

Jump in front of me… …

and take the blow. 

My mind blanks. 

I can see too, that the Chinese kid's eyes are wide, surprised. He's frozen still, like the rest of us. Yoh's shoulder is bleeding. He managed to block off most of the attack, but he's taken some damage. 

"Ren…" he whispers. "Don't do this to yourself, na? I know how much you regret having killed people in the past…" "…why?" Ren speaks. Not the Chinese doll that was all over Hao, but the little boy. Yoh has his back turned to me, but I know he's smiling. Weakly. 

"..because I don't want to see you suffer over having killed some one…" 

Ahh…. 

"I don't want you to have to regret again, because I know, you're a different person…" 

Even now you have his heart at best interest.

It's not someone I can compete against… 

But that's probably what he thought as well… 

About me, and Yoh… 

My mind blanked, because it was oh so clear… 

That I'd never beat him. 

Ever. 

I close my eyes, and the shikigami melt away.

"Come back to me, Ren." 

--------------------- 

Short chapter (with lots of gaps. ^^;), but a lot happens. I still wonder why it's from Anna's POV. (I like writing in POV form). I suppose I have an iffiness about her, because of my unhealthy Yohren loveness. I think Anna does feel some resent, and perhaps jealousy over the other guys who get to hang around Yoh, more as an equal. I read some fic that was really brilliant in it captured that…I can't remember what it was called or who it was by...*sighs* Damn my non ability to write…. 

Next chapter to finish things off! Nearly there… 


	6. Resolution?

"Yoh…" he calls out to me.

Don't look like that, you look like you're about to cry. He drops his weapon, and collapses onto his knees. His eyes are wide, confused and scared. 

"Ren?" I feel some chord struck. 

"No… I…!!" He clutches at his head, and begins to shrivel his body up, screaming. "I…!!!" I feel panic rising, alarmed at the way Ren's acting. "STOP IT!! I… DON'T…STOP!!!" he starts yelling, clawing at his forehead. 

"Ren!" I feel myself moving towards him, not thinking about anything else. I'm right at Ren's side, and pick him up off the ground. Kneeling, I have Ren shivering in my arms. I can't see his face. Hao seems to have become slightly unnerved, and was standing a few feet away from me, maybe, concerned. He had a slightly dark expression. 

"You've made your choice. I'm impressed." 

"Get away from him." I spit. I have no idea what the hell he's on about. "How dare you even think that you could come near him… you didn't just clear him memory, what the fuck did you do to him?" 

"That needs to be known only by me." He replies coldly, looking down on me. 

"…Hao!!"

"It seems that he remembers you little brother. Are you happy?" 

"…"

I kneel there, looking at Ren. He has his eye closed, unconscious now, but breathing shallowly. He's curled up like a little kitten, vulnerable and weak. I bite my lip, and slowly put Ren down. 

Hao got out of the way. Just. I oversouled the quickest I ever have, and threw a cut at Hao's face. I don't know if I was aiming to kill him, but I got a small, clean cut on his left cheek. Slowly bleeding. Hao's face stayed indifferent. 

"You're quicker when it comes to matters involving others, don't you?" Hao says after a moments silence. He either doesn't realize the cut, or is choosing to ignore it. He then shrugs, and turn away, but I can hear his voice carried by the wind. 

"He may have remembered you, and you may see that as some kind of victory, but there's a part of me that he'll never forget." I was about to ask him that the hell he meant by that, but he continues.

"Maybe all this stupid competition between us is quite useless Yoh, because you'll eventually lose your form and the spirit will return to me." 

"Fuck you." I bite out. I can't believe how aggressive I feel. 

Hao ignored the later statement, and disappeared. 

As soon as he did, I could feel everyone around me relax, as the tension melted away. I realize I'd been holding my breath, and sigh out. Oversoul released, I return my attention to Ren.

"Faust…"   
"It is alright, he's just been released from an incredible amount of stress. Just keep him comfortable for a while, and he should be fine." The doctor reports. I nod, and smile at Faust in gratitude. 

I carry Ren, and all the others follow us to our lodge. Horo was silent the whole time, while Manta and Ryu were trying to figure out what had exactly happened. I look over at Anna, who's been averting my eyes the whole time. I wonder… 

"Yoh." She finally says, and comes up beside me. She has her face down cast. 

" " 

"?"

I didn't quite catch what she said. 

"Anna…" I try to ask her again, but she's gone ahead. I frown slightly. 

----------------------

His eyes open. "Ren…" I sigh in relief, as a smile naturally cracks my face. A day later, he finally wakes up. 

"Yoh…" he says, looking at me, then observes the surroundings. A small lodge room provided by the Pachi. Nothing flash. I internally sigh out in relief as I see that Ren remembers who I am. I guess this means his memory has returned. 

"Ren, how do you feel?" I ask him cautiously. "Are you hungry?"   
"No, I feel like shit." He scrunches up his nose. I laugh. This is Ren. 

"Do you…do you remember anything?" I ask again, slightly nervous. What if… 

"I… I think I was dreaming…" he whispers, unsure. He lies there limp, like a vacant china doll. He frowns slightly, eyes unfocused, trying hard to recall something. Dreaming? "I… think… Hao was there…" he started slowly. A chill struck my spine. I took a sharp breath, and was about to say something, I don't know what, but something. But I stopped myself somehow. Ren continued. 

"Hao…was there…and I was with him… and his allies… but most of the time, it was only him…" Ren's eyelids droop over his eyes, but then flutter open again. "It was Hao, and I was always with him, and…" his eyes widen slowly, and he sits there frozen. "I…I may even have…" 

I suddenly hug Ren tightly. I can't see his face, but I'm sure his eyes are wide open with shock. Hell, I'm even shocked at this sudden turn of events. I bite my lip and hug him tighter. I don't want to know what he was about to say. I slowly release Ren, and look at him carefully. 

"Don't think about him anymore." Ren looks at me, slightly confused. I kiss him gently on his forehead. 

"Don't think about him, because you're back with us. This is where you belong." This time I look at him and smile. Because what I said then, is exactly what I meant. I don't like the thought of Ren being trapped by the memory of Hao, even though Ren himself seems to be unsure whether all that happened.

And I can't forgive the fact that Hao had tried to make Ren kill again, against his will. I silently vowed then that I would eventually deal with Hao. 

Ren averted his eyes slightly, but even in this light I could see the faint blush he had across his cheeks. I smile and hug him again. Ren's back, and he should try and forget anything that happened between himself and Hao. But a slight part of me wondered, what had exactly happened between the two. 

But I shouldn't really worry, because now he's back here. 

….............

I don't know. 

All I remember was, that I felt unwanted. 

Yoh had his fiancée. There was no place for me. 

Then he came.

I felt at peace. There was a place for me, I was needed, wanted. 

But then why did I discard it?

What prompted me to return? 

_I… I think I was dreaming. I… think… Hao was there… Hao…was there…and I was with him… and his allies… but most of the time, it was only him…It was Hao, and I was always with him, and I…I may even have… slept with him? _

Some things are better best forgotten. 

_*end?*_

----

Yayaya! _Vacant_ is now finito! XD Wow, I had NO confidence in finishing this fic, because I usually can't finish longish projects. But this…hmm… what do you think? I made it out to be all Haorenish, but then tada~~~~ it ended up being Yohren… for some reason… *eyes swim* 

Yeah, the reviews I got seemed more Hao sympathetic, so the last bit I added were Ren is somewhat still tied to Hao emotionally (Yes that last segment is Ren's POV). I think my version of Ren has a slight dilemma in that he loves Yoh, but Yoh's taken, and Hao fancies Ren, but Ren is basically opposed to Hao…hmmm… Yoh seemed to get off a bit lightly in this one, doesn't he? In retrospect, I feel that absolutely nothing's been resolved. Except that Yoh chose Ren over Anna (in a weird way). It's nothing dramatic like the two eloping or anything, but I think it's a start…(for me…gah! *dies*) I think I feel slightly sorry for Hao… Ren got awaaaay…. Bahahaha. >:3 (I am feeling very random at the momento).

Stupid comment, but Hao bleeds randomly in this fic… (ala bitten by Ren, cut on the face… maybe that's slightly OOC. :D) 

And that bit that's left vacant, the phrase Anna said to Yoh, shall remain a mystery. ^_~ 

Yay, finished! Now I'll start on the AU. ^o^ 


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